


that one moment felt like eternity

by April (featherx)



Series: but in the end I will always come back to you [8]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 04:31:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10563756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/featherx/pseuds/April
Summary: Junmyeon gets dragged to a party in a frat house. (College AU)





	

**Author's Note:**

> it's a college au without most of the actual college stuff, sorry

Junmyeon doesn’t think he’s ever felt this dizzy in his life. The worst part is that he hasn’t sipped a drop of alcohol at all so he can only imagine what would happen if he so much as got a milliliter in his system. Probably nothing good, in any case.

He’d lost Baekhyun a long time ago, which doesn’t surprise him considering he’s known for a while that this would happen anyway, but it still makes him feel a bit uneasy to be by himself. The frat house isn’t owned by anyone he knows, but he manages to make his way to a relatively clean couch and practically curls into a ball on one end. He’s never been too into these intense parties, and besides, he’d much rather spend the night studying for his exam the next day rather than… get dead drunk, as it seems.

Someone else takes a seat next to him on the couch, but stays far away enough that Junmyeon doesn’t pay them much mind. Honestly, his throat feels _terribly_ dry, and he really wants a glass of cold water or something, just to get rid of the headache, but he’s fairly sure the only drink served in this place is beer, beer, and more beer. Instead of attempting to go to sleep right then and there, though, he brings out his phone and begins reading his notes he’d managed to take a picture of before Baekhyun had dragged him to this party. _Really_ , he’s not that much of a nerd, he just likes to be prepared. And productive.

The couch shifts. “What’cha doing?” A girl asks. It’s only then that Junmyeon realizes the person next to him is the one speaking, and she’s talking to _him_ , too. When he turns to look at her, she’s wearing a plain hoodie and jeans, which, admittedly, is far different from everyone else he’d seen so far. She’s also nursing a glass of alcohol, which he supposes is one similarity, along with the slur in her voice.

“Studying,” Junmyeon replies plainly. There’s not much else he can say.

The girl leans back a bit, frowns in mild confusion. “Durin’ a _party?_ Isn’t that somethin’ you do back in the dorms?”

“I didn’t – exactly have a choice when I came here,” Junmyeon says, trying his best to subtly inch away from the girl. Not that he _hates_ her or anything, but the way she’s holding that glass looks very, very dangerous. He’d much rather the alcohol spill on some stranger’s couch than on his nice pants. “Just waiting for my friend to pass out before I can go back. Um… how about you?”

The girl looks almost thoughtful, before the image is ruined as she downs the glass in one shot. Junmyeon tries not to look too uncomfortable. “Chesqa needed a friend to go with her here, but I lost her somewhere. She’s probably off with Chanyeol somewhere, anyway. And—” She waves the glass around, spilling some remaining drops inside, “I actually – can’t remember what I’m drinkin’ right now, but – it tastes kinda good, doesn’t it?”

Junmyeon manages a smile. “I… wouldn’t know. But you look like you’re enjoying yourself.”

“Huh? Am I? That’s good.” She swings her feet up onto the couch, just narrowly missing Junmyeon’s arm, although Junmyeon can’t really find it in himself to be offended. Mostly, he’s pretending he _hadn’t_ looked at her legs when she had moved. And he hadn’t. Really. If anything, his eyes had just… flicked there and then came right back up to her face.

Honestly.

“So what’s your name, huh? I feel like I’ve seen you around campus before.” She peers at him, leaning in a bit too close to his face. Junmyeon tries not to squirm. “Hm… oh, _now_ I remember, you’re that dude in the politics class! Kim… something!”

“Kim Junmyeon. It’s nice to meet you, I guess,” Junmyeon introduces, because it’s only polite, and she already seems to know him anyway. He might as well, he supposes. “Er, what’s your name?”

“Just – call me Max.” She yawns, then, a huge, jaw-cracking one that must last for a solid few seconds before Max rubs her eyes and sets the empty glass down on a convenient table. “Sooo… Kim Junmyeoni…”

Junmyeon wisely decides to ignore the extra syllable. When Max trails off without another word, however, he gently asks, “Yes?”

“I like your hair,” she finally says. She reaches up and tugs lightly on a stray strand, grinning like a little kid when Junmyeon blinks in what is hopefully very evident confusion. “Sorry, sorry. But – it is cool! And… soft.” She lets go and settles back against the couch, looking close to dozing off. “I wonder where Chesqa is…”

“Do you want me to take you home, or anything?” Junmyeon offers. If anything, it’d make the perfect excuse to get out of the frat house – the noise is starting to really make his head pound, and by the way Max keeps flinching, he has a feeling it’s the same for her. “Or we can just go outside and wait for our friends there. Some cold air would feel nice…”

“Outside!” Max jumps to her feet, and then nearly falls onto the same table she’d put her glass on. Junmyeon practically grabs and pulls her before she can crack her skull straight open. “Oh… I guess that wasn’t my greatest idea,” she says, sounding dizzy as she clings onto Junmyeon’s arms for balance.

Junmyeon himself is wondering why he’s not pulling away, because their position right now is perhaps a _tad_ bit intimate-looking at first glance. They’re almost chest-to-chest, and Max doesn’t even seem to notice, if the way she’s still keeping a firm grip on Junmyeon’s arms is any sign. “Come on, where was that exit again?” He says hastily, barely managing not to stutter. Great! Now he’s stuttering. This is just perfect.

Somehow, Junmyeon makes his way out of the booming, flashing house with Max in tow, the girl giving strange comments all the while. The fresh night air is like a blast from Heaven itself, and Junmyeon swears he’s never felt this relieved to be out of a house. Max, meanwhile, stumbles on flat ground before regaining her balance, leaning against Junmyeon’s side. “Wow,” she manages, “it’s – cold.”

“It feels good.”

“Does it?” Max straightens, tilting her chin up, almost like she’s sniffing the air. It’s the most bewildering sight Junmyeon has ever seen, but he supposes they can both blame that on the lack of sober thoughts Max is currently having. “Oh. You know what, it kinda does.” Then she laughs, a sharp contrast from the relative quiet, almost like she’s bringing a little of the party back out with her. “You’re a nice guy, Junmyeoni. Thanks.”

“For, uh, bringing you outside?” A pause. Then Junmyeon shrugs. “You’re welcome.” Anyway, she _is_ kind of funny.

Max yawns again, but when she looks up at Junmyeon, she looks almost a little less drunk than before. “I owe you now, don’t I?”

“What? No, I didn’t—”

“M _hm_. That’s what they all say.” Despite her unsteady hands, Max retrieves a notepad and a pen from her hoodie pockets, and scribbles something down on a sheet of paper before tearing it off and slipping it inside Junmyeon’s jeans pocket. Junmyeon bites down a surprised little whimper. Her hand had been _entirely_ too close for comfort. “Here. My number. Just in case.”

Junmyeon hopes he doesn’t look as befuddled as he feels, but then again, he’s always been pretty bad at hiding his emotions. “Well, um… in case of what?”

Max doesn’t reply. When Junmyeon looks back at her face, she’s fallen asleep standing up, which impresses him more than he’d like to admit.

In the end, he helps her sit down by the sidewalk next to him, and Junmyeon spends the rest of the night studying on his phone while waiting for Baekhyun. At some point, Max’s head had fallen to rest against his shoulder, and after a few seconds of contemplation, Junmyeon decides against moving away. Besides, the weight is comforting, sort of.

Maybe he’s the drunk one here, then.


End file.
